Pressure control valves are used in a variety of applications to maintain a selected output pressure under varying flow volumes. However, standard pressure control valves are not always readily usable in sanitary fluid applications, such as in dairies, where it is imperative to maintain sanitary conditions within the fluid paths and also important that the fluid paths be easily and reliably cleaned.
The inventor hereof has previously patented a number of improvements for fluid pumping operations in which sanitation is particularly important, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,826 (“Return pump system for use with clean-in-place system for use with vessels”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,733 (“Readily cleaned liquid transfer system”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,797 (“Single motive pump, clean-in-place system, for use with piping systems and with vessels”), U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,396 (“Rotary apparatus having passageways to clean seal chambers”), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,111 (“Clean in place diaphragm valve”).
The present invention is directed toward providing similarly advantageous cleanable and sanitary pressure control valves for use in sanitary fluid operations.